Apparatus for separating conductors from non-conductors.



No. 70|,4l7- Patented .lune 3, 11902.

W. G. SWART L. Il. BLAKE.

APPARATUS FUR SEPARATING GONDUGTORS FRUW NON-CUNDUCTURS.

(Apphcatxon leu Oct. 26, 1901.)

(N o M o d el.)

iran @raras arnnr irritant WALTER G. SVVART, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ANDLUCIEN l. BLAKE, OF

LAWRENCE, ILAITSAS.` l

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING CONDUCTORS FROM NON-CGNDUCTOHS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,417, dated June 3,1902. I Application filed Ootober 26, 1901. Serial No. 80,058. (Nomodel.)

To t-ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, WALTER G. SWARr, of Denver, county of Arapahoe,State of Colorado, and LUCIEN l. BLAKE, of Lawrence, county of Douglas,State of Kansas, have invented land discovered certain new and usefulimprovements in Apparatus for the Separation of Conductors fromNon-Conductors, ofwhich the following is aspecitication, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, annexed to and forming partof'the same.

This invention relates to apparatus for the separation of particles orgrains having different electrical conductivity, and relates moreparticularly tofeeding apparatus therefor.,

ln the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference characterrefers to similar parts in the several figures, Figure l is a sectionaldiagrammatic view showing this apparatus. Fig. 2 is a view on a largerscale, showing the details of construction of the feeding device. Fig. 3is a sectional View through the feeding device. Fig. 4 is a detaill ofthe feed-board and feeding elements.

A is a flexible belt'of conducting material mounted on the rolls B and Oand driven by any desired means in the direction indicated bythe arrow.This conductor-belt is grounded by the connection shown.

E is a conducting-plate pf metal and arranged substantially parallel tothe conducting-belt A at its discharge end. `This plate is connectedwith a suitable source of positive high-tension electricity F. G is asimilar conducting-plate also connected with a source of positiveelectricity, as is also J, which is connected with the source ofelectricity K. The conducting-plate H is connected with a source ofnegative high-tension electricity I. The partition orseparating-diaphragm N directs the material into one of tworeceivingboxes O and P.

lt is desirable' to feed the material to be separated upon theconducting-belt A in a very fine even stream, and as this belt hasconsiderable width it is necessary in order to secure the bestresultsthat the material shall be equally distributed 'throughout thewhole width ol' the belt. This result is secured by hinging thefeed-plate R to the hopper D, i n

which the material is placed. This feed-plate is supported by theadjustable support U, which by moving the nut in contact with thebracket U adjusts the slope of the feed-plate Ras desired. Upon thefeed-board are mounted a series of feed-cords S, which pass the wholelength of the board. These cords are mounted so that they have amovement relative to the board, and this may be accomplished by movingthe board or by moving the cords while the board is stationary. Thismovement may be longitudinally of the cords, or it maybe any otherslight movement ofthe cords relative to the board. The cords may bearranged in any way upon the feed-board, so as to assist the movement ofthe material down the board. In the preferred form of this feedingdevice the cords are mounted to move lon-- gitudinally with respect tothe stationary feedboard, and,as is seen in Fig. 2, the cords passthrough a series of staples S in the board, and theirmore accuratemovementis thus secured. At one end of each of the cords is secured alight spiral spring S2, the free end of which is attached to the end ofthe feed-board. The other end ofl eachof the cords S is secured to thefeed-frame-S, which is mounted to reciprocate in the guides R', securedto the end of the feed-board. The pin S4 in the feedframe enters acam-slot T in the cam T,which is revolved b v any suitable means, andthus communicates a reciprocating movement of the feed-frame. Thefeed-cords S are thus reciprocated longitudinally of the feed-board, thesprings S2, secured at their opposite ends, always holding themstretched and allowing for this reciprocation.

In the operation of this apparatus the material is placed in. the hopperD, and the feedboard R, which for this particular use is preferably ofnon-,conducting material, is set at approximately the angle of repose ofthe material, so that the material upon it has a very slight tendency tofeed down the board.. This feed is, however, regulated by the feed-cordsS. These cords are given a rapid movement with respect to thefeed-board, and the result of this arrangement is that the'material isconstantly and evenly fed down along the feed-board in a uniform sheet,falling from the lower edge of the board. in a very tine and adjacentconductors.

Alo

practically uniform stream. Owing to the proximity of the chargedconductors to the feed-board,the feed-cords are preferably made in thisinstance of non-metallic material, such as twine,which eectnallyprevents any charging of these cords through induction from the Suchachar'ging might be harmful inthe operation of the apparatus. It isunderstood, however, thatin many instances the cords may advantageouslybe constructed of metal, or light wooden rods, preferably faced withbristles, may be used, as is shown in Fig.A 4. The feeding elements areformed in this instance of light rods S5, which preferably are given alongitudinal reciproc`aton. These rods, which are preferably formed-ofwood or other non-conducting material, may be given, if desired, thefacing of bristles S, which comes in contact with the feed-board andacts to feed the material along the same. The stream of material fed bythis means upon the conducting-belt A is thereby charged and uponfurther contact with the charged plate Gis separated into two parts Land M, according to the conductivity of the various particles, thisaction taking place as` is more fully explained in patent to Blake andMorscher, No. 668,792, February 26, 1901. This feeding device may notonly be used in connection with such a separating apparatus as has beendescribed, but it is useful in many other connections where it isdesired to secure a regular feed of inely-dividedmaterial in a constantstream. This device may therefore be employed in connection with millingapparatus, with coal-burning apparatus, and in many other Ways. It isapparent to those skilled in this art that many modifications may bemade in this apparatus. The exact mode of constructing the feedi-ngdevice is unimportant, and the exact means for securing the relativemovement of the feed-cords with respect to the feed-board is not essen-Vtial. Many modifications might be made in this apparatus by thoseskilled in this art without departing from thespirit of this invention.A

What We claim to be new and what We desire to secure by Lettersl Patentis therefore set forth in the appended claims:

1. A conducting-belt, a charged conducting-plate mounted substantiallyparallel to said belt at lthe discharge end of the same, asimilarly-charged conducting-plate below said end of said belt, anOpDOSitely-charged metallic conducting-plate mounted near the dischargeend of said belt and means to collect the separated particles, andafeeding device comprising a hopper, a feed-board adjustably mounted withrespect-to said hopper, a series of non-conducting feed-cords mounted tomove relatively to said feed.- board and means to move said feed-cordswith respect to said feed-board.

2. 'Apparatus for the electrical separation of particles comprising anelectricallycharged portion and a feeding device adjacent said chargedportion comprising a feedboard, means to adjust the slope of saidfeedboard, means to supply material to the upper end of saidfeed-board,*a series of non-conducting cords mounted ou said feed-boardand means to move said cords relatively to said feed-board.

3. Apparatus for theelectrical separation of particles comprising anelectrostaticallycharged portion, and a feeding device arranged adjacentsaid charged portion comprising an inclined feed-board,.a series ofnon-conducting feeding elements mountedon said feed-board and means tomove said feeding elements relatively to said feed-board.

4. Apparatus for the electrical separation of particles comprising anelectrostaticallycharged portion, and a feeding device arranged adjacentsaid charged portion comv prising an inclined feed-board, a series ofnon-conducting feeding-cords mounted on said feed-board and means tomove said cords` with respectto said feed-board.

5. In a feeding device, a hopper, a feedboard hinged to said hopper,means to adjust the inclination of said feed-board, a series'offeed-cords mounted on said feed-board, said feed-cords passing through aseries of guiding-staples secured to said feed-board, each `of saidfeed-cords being yieldably connectedv at one end to said lfeed-board, afeed-frame to which the other end of each of said feed-- cords isconnected, a cam, and a cam-follower engaging said cam secured to saidfeed-frame to reciprocate said feed-cords.

6. In a feeding device, an inclined feedboard, means to adjust theinclination of said feed-board, the discharge edge of said board beingsubstantially horizontal, a series of horiaontal feed-cords mounted onsaid feedbeard and means to reciprocate said feedcords with respect tosaidfeed-board.

7. In a feeding device, an inclined feed- IOO I'os

IIO

board, means to supply material to said feed- Y board, a series offeed-cords mounted on said feed-board and means to move said feed-cordslongitudinally relatively to said feed-board to uniformly feed materialdown said feedboard. A

8. In a feeding device, a horizontally-inclined feed-board and a seriesof relativelymovable horizontal feed-cords.

9. in a feeding device, an adjustable inclined feed-board atsubstantially the angle of repose of the material fed over said board, afeed-cord mounted on said board and means to move said cord relativelyto said board to feed material down said board.

10..n a feeding device, an inclined feedboard, means to adjust theinclination of said feed-board to substantially the angle of repose ofthe material fed over said board, a

series of feed-cords mounted on said board,

board, means to adj ust the inclination of said feed-board tosubstantially the angle of repose of the material fed down said board,elongated feeding elements mounted on said 5 board to coperatetherewith, and means to longitudinally reciprocate said feeding elementsto feed material down said board.

12. ln a feeding device, an inclined feedboard at substantially theangle of repose of io the material fed down said feed-board, elongatedfeeding elements mounted on said feedboard, and means to longitudinallymove said elements to feed material down said feedboard. i5 13. ln afeeding device, an inclined feedboard, the discharge edge of saidfeed-board being substantially horizontal, a horizontallyarrangedelongated feeding element mounted on said feed-board substantiallyparallel to 2o the discharge edge oftlie same, and means tolongitudinally move said feeding element to feed material down saidfeed-board.

il. in a feeding device, an adjustable inclined feed-board having ahorizontal discharge edge, a feed-cord mounted on said 25 boardsubstantially parallel to the discharge edge of the same, and means tomove said cord relatively to said board to feed material down saidboard.

WALTER G. SWART. LUCIEN I. BLAKE.

l/Vitnesses as to the signature of Walter G. Swart:

H. F. SWIGGETT, C. B. ST. JOHN.

Witnesses as to the signature of Lucien L Blake:

BEDFORD MCKEEN, l. C. JEANS.

